Released in 1989, Best Wishes is the Cro-Mags’ second album and one of the most metallic records to come out of the New York scene at the time. After the classic The Age of Quarrel, the band takes a sharp turn toward metal, with slower tempos, heavier riffs and a distinctly darker mood. You can feel the influence of 1970s heavy metal and hard rock, Black Sabbath in particular, in the way the guitars stretch out and breathe. The result is a powerful record, more considered than its predecessor.
A heavier sound
The production foregrounds the thickness of the guitars and the weight of the rhythm section. The songs take their time to unfold, with longer passages and less frontal structures. That pursuit of density pulls the band away from pure hardcore toward an openly embraced crossover in which metal dominates.
A dark atmosphere
Best Wishes cultivates a grave, at times almost introspective tone. The lyrics explore existential themes, spirituality and personal trials, giving the record an unusual depth for the genre. That seriousness carries through the tempos and the grain of the guitars.
An embraced turn
The shift may have thrown off part of the early crowd, but it testifies to real ambition. The Cro-Mags are not out to replay their first album, they explore a wider territory. That daring makes Best Wishes a record apart in their catalogue.
Often overshadowed by The Age of Quarrel, Best Wishes deserves a careful re-listen. It is a dense, powerful album that shows a band able to evolve without disowning its intensity. For fans of crossover, it remains a valuable and unfairly underrated reference.
